Tài liệu Collins english for exams: vocabulary for ielts

Contents
Unit Topic
1
O
People and
relationships
Exam
practice
Vocabulary
S k ill
S u b -s k ills
Nouns fo r people
and relationships;
adjectives
to describe
character
Listening
Recognizing
Listening
adjectives from
Section 4 th e ir endings;
MCQs
w orking out
the meaning
of words from
listening context
Page
num ber
6
2
Health
Nouns fo r
sym ptom s;
verbs fo r
treatm ents
Reading
Recognizing
synonyms and
collocations
Reading T/F/NG
10
3
Education
Nouns for
academic
subjects; verbs
fo r academic
study
W riting
Choosing the
righ t part of
speech; w ritin g
in an academic
style
W riting
Task 2
14
4
Adventure
Verbs and nouns
fo r travelling;
adjectives
to describe
experiences
Speaking
Speaking
Expressing
Part 2
fin e r shades of
meaning; using
common and
less common
vocabulary; word
stress
5
Gadgets
Nouns to describe Listening
dim ensions;
verbs to describe
processes
Collocations;
words with
different senses
Listening
Sections
1 and 2 labelling a
diagram classifying
22
6
Cities
Nouns associated
with human
geography;
adjectives to
describe places
Recognizing
superordinate
term s;
recognizing
positive and
negative
connotation
Reading matching
headings
26
Reading
18
Unit Topic
V ocabulary
S k ill
S u b -s k ills
Exam
practice
Page
nu m be r
7
The art of
persuasion
Reporting verbs;
nouns associated
w ith persuasion
W riting
Expressing
d iffe re nt
points of view;
presenting an
argum ent
W riting
Task 2
30
8
Getting involved
Nouns fo r form s
of entertainm ent;
verbs associated
w ith involvem ent
Speaking
Expressing
likes and
dislikes; using
phrasal verbs;
pronouncing the
le tte r 's ’
Speaking
Part 1
34
Global warming
Verbs to describe
Listening
natural processes;
nouns associated
with clim ate
Recognizing
antonyms;
prefixes
Listening
Section 4 com pleting
notes
38
Revision 1
Selection of words A ll s k ills
fro m units 1-9
Selection of subs k ills fro m units
1-9
11
Words for
describing
graphs and
diagrams
Nouns fo r types of W riting
graphics and th e ir
com ponents
Describing and
sum m arizing
visual data
W riting
Task 1
46
12
Words for
describing
change
Nouns and verbs
fo r describing
change; tim e
expressions
Speaking
Positive and
negative
connotation;
pronouncing
consonants
Speaking
Part 3
50
Words
expressing
sim ilarity and
difference
Words fo r
com parison and
contrast
Listening
Collocation;
parts of speech
Listening
Section 3 com pleting a
sum m ary
54
Reading
Recognizing
synonyms,
antonyms,
superordinates
and examples
Reading MCQs
58
o
*1
1*
9
o
*1
I*
10
Q
■■
r
13
(^
•• r
u
Words
Verbs and nouns
describing
indicating cause
and
effect
cause and effect
42
Unit Topic
Vocabulary
Skill
Sub-skills
Exam
practice
Page
num ber
15
Signposting
expressions for
writing
Words fo r
W riting
ordering, addition,
concession,
generalizations,
and conclusions
(w ritten register)
Linking
sentences;
signposting an
essay
W riting
Task 2
62
16
Adverbs
Adverbs fo r
expressing
attitude and
adding detail
Speaking
Adding interest
to spoken
answers;
pronouncing
schwa
Speaking
Part 1 introduction
and interview
66
Nouns fo r
different
problem s; verbs
fo r solving
problem s
Listening
Recognizing
collocations;
spelling
Listening short-answ er
questions
70
Nouns associated
with ideas;
adjectives fo r
evaluating ideas
Reading
Recognizing
fin e r shades
of meaning;
positive and
negative
connotation
Reading com pleting
a sum m ary;
matching
sentence
endings
74
W riting
Recognizing
strength of
claim ; more
collocations
W riting
Task 1 sum m arizing
visual
inform ation
78
O
17
Words for
problems and
■i i1
solutions
18
Words for
talking about
ideas
19
Words describing
Emphasis and
understatement quantity, degree
and degree of
certainty
20
Revision 2
o
Selection of words A ll s k ills
from units 11-19
Selection of
s u b -s k ills from
units 11-19
82
Audio script
86
Answer key
104
Collocations
111
IELTS information
124
Introduction
Who is this book for?
Vocabulary for IELTS helps you improve your vocabulary when preparing fo r the IELTS examination.
You can use the book to study on your own or as supplem entary m aterial fo r IELTS preparation
classes. It is suitable fo r learners at level 5.0 to 5.5 aiming fo r band score 6.0 or higher.
Sum m ary
The Vocabulary fo r IELTS book and CD cover vocabulary item s and s k ills which are relevant to all
fo u r exam papers: Listening, Reading, W riting and Speaking. In each unit, you w ork tow ards an
exam practice exercise which is m odelled on the actual IELTS exam. Each unit contains activities
that help you develop, step-by-step, the vocabulary knowledge and s k ills to help you tackle the
exam. Exam tips throughout the book highlight essential vocabulary-related learning strategies
and exam techniques.
Content
Units
Each unit is divided into three parts.
Part 1: Vocabulary introduces vocabulary related to the topic or function of the unit. Definitions
fo r this vocabulary are presented using C ollins COBUILD full-se n te n ce definitions, and IELTSstyle example sentences show how the w ords are used in context. Parts of speech and the
different fo rm s of the w ords are also listed.
Part 2: Practice exercises provide a stru ctu re d set of exercises which help you develop the
s k ills to successfully apply vocabulary knowledge to the exam. Each unit focuses on developing
vocabulary and s k ills fo r a p a rticu la r paper, and the practice exercises provide practice fo r the
p a rticu la r paper.
Part 3: Exam practice provides exam practice exercises in a form at that follows the actual exam
giving you the opportunity to fam iliarize yourself with the kinds of questions you w ill encounter in the
exam. This section focuses on a particular exam paper and is highlighted in grey fo r easy reference.
Exam tips
There are exam tips and strategies in each unit. These are in boxes fo r easy reference.
Audio script
A ll audio fo r the Listening and Speaking paper has been recorded on the CD using native
speakers of English. A fu ll audio script is provided at the back of the book so that you can check
the language used in the listening and speaking exercises, if needed.
Answer key
A com prehensive answer key is provided fo r a ll sections of the book including m odel answers fo r
more open-ended w ritin g and speaking tasks.
Collocations
At the back of the book, you can fu rth e r develop your vocabulary by studying the list of the most
common collocations fo r the vocabulary presented in the units.
Howto use this book
The book is divided into 20 units. Units 1-9 cover vocabulary fo r topics that frequently appear in
the exam, such as health and education. Units 11-19 cover w ords fo r general functions, such as
describing problem s and solutions. Units 10 and 20 provide revision exercises. Unit 10 revises
the vocabulary and s k ills covered in Units 1-9, and Unit 20 revises the vocabulary and s kills
covered in Units 11 -19. A ll 20 units help you develop s k ills such as paraphrasing and w orking out
the meaning of u n fa m iliar w ords from context.
Each unit is self-contained so that you can study the units in any order. You can choose the unit
you want to study either by selecting the topic you want to study, or by selecting which exam
paper you w ant to practise. Only the units w ith practice on the Speaking and Listening papers
contain audio. The contents pages at the beginning of the book provide an overview of what is
in each unit so you can use this to choose which units you would like to study first. These pages
also give you inform ation on which units contain audio.
You w ill probably find it helpful to begin each unit by reading the vocabulary items in part 1, then
w orking through the exercises in preparation fo r the exam practice exercise at the end. Try to do
the exam exercises w ithin the tim e lim it to give yourself realistic exam practice.
In order to learn a new word, it is usually necessary to revisit it several tim es. The revision units
help you to do this. However, it is also a good idea to avoid w ritin g your answers in the book so
that you can do the exercises again at a later date.
It is also advisable to keep a vocabulary notebook. Knowing a word and how to use it involves
understanding many aspects of it. The more inform ation you can record about the words you are
learning, the more useful it w ill be. Key definitions, partis] of speech, common collocations and
example sentences are a ll very helpful. Don’t forget to use the Collocations section at the back of
the book to help w ith this.
Getting w ell-in fo rm e d feedback on your w ritin g and speaking exam practice exercises would also
be an advantage. However, if this is not possible it is s till im portant to do the exercises in fu ll.
Studying model answers can help you develop the ability to assess your own work. If possible,
record yourself when speaking, and listen carefully to your perform ance. Avoid m em orising
model answers. Rem em ber that in the actual exam, it is im portant to answer the question and
not ju st speak or w rite about the topic
As a final preparation before the exam, you could re-read the exam tips in the boxes. This w ill
rem ind you of the strategies fo r success in the exam.
5
1
People and relationships
D escrib in g people I R ecognizing a d je ctive s I W o rk in g out m eaning fro m co n te xt
Vocabulary
People in relationship:
Describing people:
• client (clients)
NOUN A client of a professional person
o r organization is a person that receives a
service from them in return fo r payment. ■ a
solicitor and his client ■ The company requires
clients to pay substantial fees in advance.
• autonomous
ADJECTIVE An autonomous person
makes th e ir own decisions ra th e r than
being influenced by someone else ■ They
proudly declared themselves p art of a new
autonomous province. ■ the liberal idea of the
autonomous individual
• colleague (colleagues)
NOUN Your colleagues are the people you
w ork w ith, especially in a professional job.
■ Female academics are s till paid less than
their male colleagues. ■ In the corporate
world, the best sources of business are your
form er colleagues.
• employer (employers)
NOUN Your employer is the person or
organization that you w ork for. ■ employers
who hire illegal workers ■ The telephone
company is the country's largest employer.
• parent (parents)
NOUN Your parents are your m other and
father. ■ Children need their parents. ■ When
you become a parent the things you once
cared about seem to have less value.
• sibling (siblings)
NOUN Your siblings are your brothers and
sisters. [FORMAL] ■ Some studies have found
that children are more friendly to younger
siblings of the same sex. ■ Sibling rivalry often
causes parents anxieties.
• spouse (spouses)
NOUN Someone’s spouse is the person they
are married to. Husbands and wives do not have
to pay any inheritance tax when their spouse dies.
Vocabulary for IELTS
• consistent
ADJECTIVE Someone who is consistent
always behaves in the same way, has the
same attitudes tow ards people or things,
or achieves the same level of success in
som ething. ■ Becker has never been the most
consistent of players anyway. ■ his consistent
support of free trade ■ a consistent character
with a m ajor thematic function
• conventional
ADJECTIVE Someone who is conventional
has behaviour and opinions that are
ordinary and norm al. ■ a respectable
m arried woman with conventional opinions
■ this close, fairly conventional English family
• co-operative also cooperative
ADJECTIVE If you say that someone is
co-operative, you mean that they do what
you ask them w ithout com plaining or
arguing. ■ The president said the visit would
develop friendly and co-operative relations
between the two countries. ■ a contented and
co-operative workforce
• efficient
ADJECTIVE If som ething or someone
is efficient, they are able to do tasks
successfully, w ithout wasting tim e or
energy. ■ With today’s more efficient
contraception women can plan their families
and careers. ■ Technological advances allow
more efficient use of labour. ■ an efficient way
of testing thousands of compounds
• flexible
ADJECTIVE Something or someone that is
flexible is able to change easily and adapt
to different conditions and circum stances.
■ more flexible arrangements to allow access
to services a fte r normal working hours • We
encourage flexible working.
• idealistic
ADJECTIVE If you describe someone as
idealistic, you mean that they have ideals, and
base their behaviour on these ideals, even
if this may be impractical. ■ Idealistic young
people died for the cause. ■ an over-simplistic
and idealistic vision of family dynamics
• tolerant
ADJECTIVE If you describe someone as
tolerant, you approve of the fact that they
allow other people to say and do as they like,
even if they do not agree with or like it. ■ [+of]
They need to be tolerant of different points of
view. ■ Other changes include more tolerant
attitudes to unmarried couples having children.
• vulnerable
ADJECTIVE Someone who is vulnerable
is weak and w ithout protection, w ith the
re su lt that they are easily hurt physically
or em otionally. ■ Old people are particularly
vulnerable members of our society.
Practice exercises
C ircle the w ords that you associate w ith fa m ily relationships. U nderline the w ords you
associate w ith professional relationships.
a
client
d
colleague
b parent
e
spouse
c
f
em ployer
sibling
Listen to three speakers ta lkin g about people who have been im po rta n t to them . Indicate
the person each speaker describes by w ritin g a le tte r a - f fro m Exercise 1 in each space.
1
2
3
j Exam tip:
i • You can often recognize w hether a word is a noun, verb, adjective or adverb
from its ending.
: • Adjectives can have many different endings, but these are common.
j •
-a b le /-ib le
vulnerable, flexible
-ic
idealistic
-al
conventional
-ive
co-operative
-a n t/-e n t
tolerant, consistent, efficient
-ous
autonomous
Learn to recognize these.
People and relationships
5i 3
01
Listen again to the th re e speakers and w rite down the adjectives fro m the table above
th a t you hear. Listen fo r the w ord endings: -able, -ib le , -a l, -ant, -ent, -ic, -ive, -ous.
1
2
3
Exam tip: In Part 4 of the IELTS Listening exam you have to listen to a ta lk on a topic of
general academic interest.
You do not need to know a ll of the vocabulary.
If you hear a word you don’t know, listen fo r expressions like:
a
i.e.
b
in other w ords
c
that is
d
by ... I mean
e
that is to say
The text that follow s these expressions helps you understand the word.
Example: Employers value conscientious workers, that is workers who complete tasks
with care.
Listen to the e xtra ct fro m a lectu re about only ch ild re n and notice the expression the
speaker uses to indicate she is defining the key expressions 1-6 below. Look back at the
Exam tip and w rite a le tte r a -e in each space.
02
0
5
02
8
1
only children
2
parental resources
3
to le ran t
4
rn-nperative
5
autonom y
6
unconventional
......
Listen to the e xtra ct again and com plete the d e finitio n s the speaker gives fo r w ords 1-6
above. W rite one w ord in each space.
1
only children - ‘children w ith o u t____________ ’
2
parental resources - ‘not ju st money, but a ls o ____________ a n d ____________ ’
3
to le ra n t - ‘able to a c c e p t___________ ’
4
co-operative - ‘able to w o r k ____________ w it h --------------------- ’
5
autonom y - ‘ability t o ____________ th e ir o w n --------------------- ’
6
unconventional - ‘not q u ite ____________ in social te rm s ’
Vocabulary for IELTS
Unit 1
Exam practice: Listening exam Section 4
O
03
Listen to the lecture extract about birth ord er and personality and answ er
questions 1 -5 by choosing the correct le tte r A, B or C.
Exam tip: Listen fo r key adjectives and clues in the context fo r what they mean.
1
2
3
4
5
What does the speaker discuss in relation to personality?
A
Family size
B
The relationship between children and th e ir parents
C
People’s position in the fam ily
What does the speaker im ply about anxiety?
A
It is a positive tra it.
B
It is a negative trait.
C
It is experienced by younger siblings.
What do some researchers say about youngest children?
A
They form relationships easily.
B
They agree w ith the opinions of other people.
C
They like it if people agree w ith them.
Why are m iddle children considered to be rebellious?
A
They don’t like to be told w hat to do.
B
They don’t know how to be agreeable.
C
They like to be different from others.
What does the speaker say about the quality of research on birth order?
A
Most research has been done correctly.
B
Most research has been done incorrectly.
C
Most research has come to a clear conclusion.
People and relationships
9
2
Health
N am ing health p ro b le m s and tre a tm e n ts I Recognizing synonym s | Recognizing co llo ca tion s
Vocabulary
Health problems:
• addiction (addictions)
NOUN Addiction is the condition of taking
h a rm fu l drugs and being unable to stop
taking them . ■ long-term addiction to
nicotine
• allergy (allergies)
NOUN If you have a p a rticular allergy, you
become ill or get a rash when you eat, sm ell,
or touch som ething that does not norm ally
make people ill. ■ Food allergies can result in
an enormous variety of different symptoms.
• cancer (cancers)
NOUN Cancer is a serious disease in which
cells in a person’s body increase rapidly in
an uncontrolled way, producing abnorm al
growths. ■ a cancer research charity
• dehydration
UNCOUNTABLE NOUN You are suffering
from dehydration if you lose too much w ate r
from your body. ■ Cholera causes severe
dehydration.
• disease (diseases)
NOUN A disease is an illness that affects
people, anim als or plants, fo r example one
w hich is caused by bacteria or infection.
■
the rapid spread of disease in the area
• infection (infections)
NOUN An infection is a disease caused
by germ s or bacteria. ■ Ear infections are
common in pre-school children.
• obesity
UNCOUNTABLE NOUN Someone suffering
from obesity is extrem ely fat. ■ The excessive
consumption of sugar leads to obesity
Vocabulary for IELTS
• stroke (strokes)
NOUN If someone has a stroke, a blood
vessel in th e ir brain bursts or becomes
blocked, which may k ill them or make them
unable to move one side of th e ir body. ■ He
had a m inor stroke in 1987, which left him
partly paralyzed.
Verbs associated with treatment:
• adm inister (administers, administering,
administered)
VERB If a doctor or nurse administers
a drug, they give it to a patient. ■ Paramedics
are trained to adm inister certain drugs.
• admit (admits, admitting, admitted)
VERB If someone is admitted to hospital
they are taken into hospital fo r tre a tm e n t
and kept there un til they are w e ll enough to
go home. ■ She was admitted to hospital with
a soaring temperature.
• diagnose (diagnoses, diagnosing,
diagnosed)
VERB If someone or som ething is diagnosed
as having a p a rticu la r illness or problem ,
th e ir illness o r problem is identified.
■ Alm ost a m illion people are diagnosed with
colon cancer each year.
• discharge (discharges, discharging,
discharged)
VERB When someone is discharged from
hospital, they are o fficially allowed to leave,
or told they m ust leave. ■ He has a broken
nose but may be discharged today.
• examine (examines, examining, examined)
VERB If a doctor examines you, he or she
looks at your body, feels it, or does sim ple
Unit 2
tests in order to check how healthy you are.
■ Another doctor examined her and could s till
find nothing wrong.
• screen (screens, screening, screened)
VERB To screen for a disease means
to examine people to make sure that they
do not have it. ■ Men over 50 are routinely
screened for prostate abnormalities.
• vaccinate (vaccinates, vaccinating,
vaccinated)
VERB A vaccine is a harm less form of
the germ s that cause a p a rticula r disease.
If a person or anim al is vaccinated, they
are given a vaccine, usually by injection, to
prevent them getting that disease. ■ Dogs
must be vaccinated against distemper.
Practice exercises
The w ords below describe d iffe re n t disorders. C ircle the w ords that you associate w ith
rich countries. U nderline the w ords you associate w ith poor countries.
a infection
e stroke
b heart disease
f dehydration
c
g addiction
allergies
d obesity
Read the passage below and com pare yo u r answers to Exercise 1 w ith the inform ation in
the passage.
Diseases of Affluence - Diseases of Poverty
Health conditions associated w ith wealth are som etim es referred to as diseases of
affluence. These include diseases which are not com m unicable, such as Type 2 diabetes,
cancer, and stroke as w e ll as alcohol and drug addiction, obesity and some allergies.
Risk factors fo r these conditions are associated w ith the lifestyle of the econom ically
prosperous, in particular: physical inactivity, easy availability of meat, sugar, salt and
processed foods, excessive consum ption of alcohol and tobacco, and low er exposure to
infectious agents.
The diseases of poverty, in contrast, are predom inantly infectious diseases such as
HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, m alaria and diarrhoeal diseases. Risk factors fo r these conditions
include: overcrowding, inadequate sanitation, m alnutrition, and inadequate access to
health care. M illions of lives could be saved every year by addressing these underlying
problem s and by sim ple preventive measures such as im m unizing the population against
common infectious agents.
Exam tip: In the IELTS Reading exam you may have to indicate w hether statem ents
about a passage are True, False or Not given (i.e. not mentioned).
You can often recognize a True statem ent if you can match it to a part of the passage
that expresses the same idea in different words.
Recognizing synonyms (words with approximately the same meaning) can help you do this.
Example: Allergies are common in w ealthy countries. Allergies are common in a fflu e n t
countries.
Health
11
3
4
U nderline w ords in the passage fo r Exercise 2 w hich could be replaced by the w ords in
bold below.
1
M inor skin diso rd e rs do not n o rm a lly require hospital treatm ent.
2
Misuse of prescription drugs is a growing problem .
3
Germs can cause stom ach upsets.
4
Vaccinating children against m easles has reduced the prevalence of this disease.
The w ords below describe actions th a t m edical s ta ff may take when a person enters
hospital. N um ber the verbs fro m 1 to 5 to show the o rd e r in w hich they typ ica lly occur.
diagnose___
d isch a rg e ___
a d m it___
tr e a t____
examine
Exam tip: In the IELTS Reading exam you may have to com plete gaps in sentences w ith
w ords from a reading passage. Recognizing collocations (i.e. words that com m only go
together) can help you do this.
If you look carefully at the w ords on eith er side of the gap you may be able to use your
knowledge of collocations to choose the right word(s).
Example: The patient w as_______fo r cancer. The patient was treated fo r cancer.
Com plete the sentences below w ith w ords a -e . Look c a re fu lly at the prepositions a fte r
the gaps to help you choose the rig h t w ord.
a
vaccinated
b
diagnosed
c
screened d
adm inistered
e
discharged
1
In poor countries patients are s o m e tim e s ___________________fro m hospital before
they are fu lly cured.
2
If a ll women over the age of 50 a r e __________________ fo r breast cancer, many lives
can be saved.
3
The patient w a s ___________________w ith heart disease.
U A ll children should b e ___________________against infectious diseases such as
measles.
5
The d o c to r_a drug to the patient to help him sleep.
Vocabulary for IELTS
Unit 2
Exam practice: Reading - answering True/False/
Not given questions - completing sentences
QUESTIONS 1-4
Do the statements 7-4 below agree with the information given in the following text? Write:
TRUE
FALSE
NOT GIVEN
if the text confirms the statement
if the text confirms the opposite of the statement
if it is impossible to know from the text
Tip: Look fo r synonyms fo r key term s.
Scientists from the UK and USA have recently reported that over the last 30 years the incidence
of Type 2 diabetes has m ore than doubled. They estim ate that nearly 350 m illion adults
w orldw ide now have the disease. In every country studied, rates of diabetes had either remained
the same or increased. The rise has been p a rticula rly acute in the Pacific Islands w ith up to
th irty per cent of women in some areas suffering fro m the condition.
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic progressive condition which occurs when there is too much glucose
in the blood, either because the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or because cells have
become resistant to insulin. Com plications resulting from diabetes include damage to kidneys,
blindness, heart disease and strokes.
The condition is associated w ith obesity; however, nearly th re e -q u a rte rs of the rise has been
attributed to longer lifespans and better diagnosis. Having a close relative w ith the disease is
also a risk factor.
Type 2 diabetes has also become a m ajor burden on health care systems around the w orld.
Expenditure on treating the condition is projected to rise to over £30 billion annually w ithin the
next three years. However, a recent study has shown that if the condition is diagnosed w ithin
four years of onset, it can be reversed by follow ing a low -calorie diet. Lim iting food intake to
600 calories per day fo r eight weeks was shown to have a lasting effect on the m ajority of subjects
who took part in the tria l. For many, Type 2 diabetes can be cured - and it need not cost the earth.
1 More than twice as many adults have Type 2 diabetes as did th irty years ago.
2
Nearly a th ird of people in the Pacific Islands have diabetes.
3
Type 2 diabetes is a long-term illness which can be caused by insufficient insulin
4
production.
The increase in Type 2 diabetes is partly due to greater life expectancy.
QUESTIONS 5 -7
Complete the sentences 5 -7 using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage above.
5
Treating diabetes places a significant
on health care budgets.
6
If a person _
w ith diabetes early, he or she can be cured.
7
Most people
_ in the low -calorie diet study made a good recovery.
Health
13
3
Education
N am ing academ ic su b je cts I Verbs, nouns and a d jectives associated w ith academ ic study I
C hoosing th e c o rre c t p a rt of speech
Vocabulary
Academic subjects:
• archaeology also archeology
UNCOUNTABLE NOUN Archaeology is the
study of the societies and peoples of the past
by examining the rem ains of th e ir buildings,
tools, and other objects. ■ an archaeology
professor at Florida State University
• astronomy
UNCOUNTABLE NOUN Astronomy is the
scientific study of the stars, planets, and
other n atural objects in space. ■ a 10-day
astronomy mission
• economics
UNCOUNTABLE NOUN Economics is the
study of the way in which money, industry,
and trade are organized in a society.
■ He gained a firs t class Honours degree
in economics. ■ having previously studied
economics and fine art
• geology
UNCOUNTABLE NOUN Geology is the
study of the E arth’s structure, surface, and
origins. ■ He was visiting professor of geology
at the University of Jordan.
• linguistics
UNCOUNTABLE NOUN Linguistics is the
study of the way in which language works.
■ Modern linguistics emerged as a distinct
field in the nineteenth century.
• psychology
UNCOUNTABLE NOUN Psychology is the
scientific study of the human mind and the
reasons fo r people's behaviour. ■ Professor
of Psychology at Bedford College ■ research in
educational psychology
Vocabulary for IELTS
• sociology
UNCOUNTABLE NOUN Sociology is the
study of society or of the way society is
organized. ■ a sociology professor at the
University of North Carolina ■ a treatise on
the sociology of religion
Academic activities:
• analyse (analyses, analysing, analysed)
VERB If you analyse something, you consider
it carefully or use statistical methods in
order to fu lly understand it. [US analyze]
■ McCarthy was asked to analyse the data
from the first phase of trials of the vaccine.
■ [+ what] This book teaches you how to
analyse what is causing the stress in your life.
• claim (claims, claiming, claimed)
VERB If you say that someone claims that
something is true, you mean they say that it is
true but you are not sure w hether or not they
are telling the truth. ■ [+ that] He claimed that
it was all a conspiracy against him. ■ [+ to-inf]
A man claiming to be a journalist threatened to
reveal details about her private life. ■ He claims
a 70 to 80 per cent success rate.
• define (defines, defining, defined)
VERB If you define a word or expression,
you explain its meaning, fo r example in a
dictionary. ■ [+ as] Collins English Dictionary
defines a workaholic as 'a person obsessively
addicted to work'.
• evaluate (evaluates, evaluating, evaluated)
VERB If you evaluate som ething or
someone, you consider them in order to
make a judgm ent about them , fo r example
about how good or bad they are. ■ They w ill
Unit 3
first send in trained nurses to evaluate the
needs of the individual situation. ■ The market
situation is difficult to evaluate. ■ [+ how] we
evaluate how well we do something
• investigate (investigates, investigating,
investigated)
VERB If you investigate som ething, you
study or examine it carefully to find out
the tru th about it. ■ Research in Oxford is
now investigating a possible link between
endometriosis and the immune system.
■ [+ how] Police are s till investigating how the
accident happened.
Nouns associated with research:
• evidence
UNCOUNTABLE NOUN Evidence is anything
that you see, experience, read, or are told that
causes you to believe that something is true
or has really happened. ■ [+ of/for] a report
on the scientific evidence for global warming
■ [+ that] There is a lot of evidence that stress
is partly responsible for disease. ■ [+ to-inf] To
date there is no evidence to support this theory.
• hypothesis (hypotheses)
NOUN A hypothesis is an idea which is
suggested as a possible explanation fo r a
p a rticu la r situation or condition, but which
has not yet been proved to be correct.
[FORMAL] ■ Work w ill now begin to test the
hypothesis in rats. ■ Different hypotheses have
been put forward to explain why these foods
are more likely to cause problems.
• theory (theories)
NOUN A theory is a fo rm a l idea or set of
ideas that is intended to explain som ething.
■ [+ of] Einstein formulated the Theory of
Relativity in 1905.
Practice exercises
Exam tip: Words fo r academic subjects can have many different endings, but these are
common.
-ics: statistics
-y: philosophy
-logy: biology
Learn to recognize these.
Complete w ords 1-7 below w ith the ending -ic s , -lo g y , o r - y to fo rm the names of
subjects. Then match them to the topics of study a-g.
1
archaeo
a
the human mind
2
astrnnnm
b
people of the past
3
eronnm
c
society
U
geo
d money, industry and trade
5
linguist
e
the Earth
6
psycho ...... ............. .........
f
how language w orks
7
s o c io .......
g stars and planets
Exam tip: Words fo r naming people by th e ir occupations often end in -er.
Examples: teacher/farm er/m iner
W ords fo r naming people who study academic subjects fo r a living usually end in -ist.
Examples: biologist/physicist
Learn to recognize these.
Education
15
Choose the co rre ct w ords fo r academ ic subjects and the people who study them to
com plete sentences 1-7.
1
A n ___________at the Royal Observatory has discovered a new moon in our solar system.
2
She wanted to understand why people feel, think, and behave in certain ways, so she
decided to do a degree in ___________
3
___________is the study of language in general, not any p a rticu la r language such as
French or Mandarin.
U The governm ent’s predictions fo r economic growth and inflation were not endorsed by
le a d in g ___________
5
Students from the departm ent o f ___________spent the weekend studying rock
form ations off the coast of Scotland.
6
Graduates i n ___________often take jobs which involve analysing data and fo rm ulating
social policy.
7
___________were called in to investigate the Iron Age tools discovered on the building site.
j Exam tip : When w riting in the IELTS exam you need to use not only the right words but
j also the right parts of speech, for example:
Thompson and her colleagues analyse IverbJ the samples using the antibody test.
The main results of the analysis [noun] are summarized below.
I have an analytical Iadjective] approach to every survey.
i
I
3
When you learn a new word, learn its associated parts of speech.
The w ords in the table are com m only linked to academic study. Use your dictionary to
com plete the table.
verb
noun
claim
adjective
x
definition
x
evaluate
investigation
evidence
X
hypothesis
theoretical
4
Choose the co rrect part of speech fro m the w ords in ita lics fo r sentences 1-6.
1
When giving a presentation, it is im portant to define/definition key term s.
2
An effective essay is not ju st descriptive but also evaluation/evaluative.
3
It is im portant to investigate/investigation the causes of inequality.
U
It is now evidence/evident that stress contributes to disease.
5
Most scientific research begins w ith a hypothesize/hypothesis.
6
There is no theory/theoretical model to explain the impact of inflation on economic growth.
Vocabulary for IELTS
Unit 3
5
Choose w ords fro m the table in Exercise 3 to com plete the sentences 1-5.
1
In academic discussions, it is im portant t o ____________ argum ents fo r th e ir strengths
and weaknesses.
2
It would be difficult to design a scientific experiment to test th e ____________ that m ultiple
time dimensions exist.
3
To date there is n o ____________ to support this theory.
4
A fte r le n g th y ____________ , they were s till unable to identify the source of the leak.
5
There is no general agreem ent on a s ta n d a rd ____________ of the term ‘intelligence’.
Exam practice: Writing Task 2
Below is a student’s answer to an IELTS W riting Task 2, in which candidates are required to w rite
a 250 word essay on a given topic. Complete the essay w ith w ords from the unit. There may be
more than one correct answer. Hint: make sure you choose the correct part of speech.
WRITING TASK 2
W rite about the fo llo w ing topic:
Is there any value in studying academic subjects that are not 'useful' in terms of generating
wealth for the country?
Give reasons fo r your answ er and include any relevant exam ples fro m yo u r own knowledge o r
experience.
W rite at least 250 w ords.
Many people these days (1)__________ that a useful education is one that prepares graduates for
occupations that create wealth. However, when we (2)__________ the usefulness of an academic
subject we should think carefully about how we (3)__________ the term ‘useful’. In this essay, I argue
that many academic subjects that do not directly generate great wealth can s till be very useful.
Some subjects can be useful because they create knowledge that can be applied in related fields.
(4)
, fo r example, study the way language w orks. Their (5)__________ can be used to
create more effective methods of language teaching. Improved international com m unication can
result in better trading relations, which can in turn generate wealth. (6)__________ (7)__________
the lives of people in the past through th e ir artifacts. Many of these w ill be displayed in museums,
which can a ttract to urists who generate income fo r hoteliers, restaurants and so on.
Many academic subjects can also be ‘useful’ in te rm s of contributing to people’s quality of
life. Some people pursue hobbies in fields such as (8 )__________ in order to have a better
understanding of the planet we live on. Others w ith an interest in stars and planets may become
am ateur (9 )__________ Curiosity is an im portant human tra it, and many academic subjects
allow people to satisfy this need.
In short, there is little (10)__________ that sim ply educating people to be efficient w orkers
makes them happier or riche r in the broader sense. Human curiosity and the unpredictable
nature of knowledge creation mean that a variety of academic disciplines should be valued.
Now com plete the essay in your own w ords.
Education
17
Verbs and nouns associated w ith tra v e l and a d v e n tu re I G etting w o rd s tre s s rig h t I
C hoosing v o c a b u la ry to e xp re ss y o u rs e lf p re c is e ly
Vocabulary
Verbs associated with travel and
adventure:
• accompany (accompanies, accompanying,
accompanied)
VERB If you accompany someone, you go
som ewhere w ith them . [FORMAL] ■ Ken
agreed to accompany me on a trip to Africa.
■ The Prime Minister, accompanied by the
governor, led the President up to the house.
• encounter (encounters, encountering,
encountered)
VERB If you encounter problems or
difficulties, you experience them. ■ Everyday
of our lives we encounter stresses of one kind or
another. • Environmental problems they found in
Poland were among the worst they encountered.
• overcome (overcomes, overcoming,
overcame)
VERB If you overcome a problem or a
feeling, you successfully deal w ith it and
control it. ■ Molly had fought and overcome
her fear of flying. ■ One way of helping
children to overcome shyness is to boost their
self-confidence.
sought for the post of Conservative Party
chairman. • Always seek professional legal
advice before entering into any agreement.
■ [+ from ] The couple have sought help from
marriage guidance counsellors.
• venture (ventures, venturing, ventured)
VERB If you venture somewhere, you go
som ewhere that m ight be dangerous.
[LITERARY] ■ People are afraid to venture out
for fear of sniper attacks.
Nouns associated with travel and
adventure:
• challenge (challenges)
NOUN A challenge is som ething new and
difficu lt which requires great effort and
determ ination. ■ I like a big challenge and
they don’t come much bigger than this. ■ The
new governm ent’s first challenge is the
economy.
• destination (destinations)
NOUN The destination of someone or
something is the place to which they are going
or being sent. ■ Spain is still our most popular
holiday destination. ■ Only half of the emergency
supplies have reached their destination.
• reschedule (reschedules, rescheduling,
rescheduled)
VERB If someone reschedules an event,
they change the tim e at which it is supposed
to happen. ■ Since I'll be away, I'd like to
reschedule the meeting. ■ [+ for] They've
rescheduled the opening fo r February 14th.
• itinerary (itineraries)
NOUN An itinerary is a plan of a journey,
including the route and the places that you
w ill visit. ■ The next place on our itinerary was
Silistra.
• seek (seeks, seeking, sought)
VERB If you seek som ething, you try to find
it or obtain it. [FORMAL] ■ Four people who
sought refuge in the Italian embassy have left
voluntarily. ■ [+ for] Candidates are urgently
• journey (journeys)
NOUN When you make a journey, you travel
from one place to another. ■ [ + to ] There is
an express service from Paris which completes
the journey to Bordeaux in under 4 hours.
Vocabulary for IELTS
Adjectives to describe experiences:
• dreary
ADJECTIVE If you describe som ething
as dreary, you mean that it is d u ll and
depressing. ■ a dreary little town in the
Midwest
• intense
ADJECTIVE Intense is used to describe
som ething that is very great or extrem e in
strength or degree. ■ He was sweating from
the intense heat. ■ His threats become more
intense, agitated, and frequent.
• pivotal
ADJECTIVE A pivotal role, point, or figure in
som ething is one that is very im portant and
affects the success of that thing. ■ The Court
of Appeal has a pivotal role in the English
legal system. ■ The elections may prove to be
pivotal in Colombia's political history.
• profound
ADJECTIVE You use profound to emphasize
that som ething is very great or intense.
■ discoveries which had a profound effect on
many areas of medicine ■ The overwhelming
feeling is ju s t deep, profound shock and
anger. ■ Anna's patriotism was profound.
• valuable
ADJECTIVE If you describe som ething or
someone as valuable, you mean that they
are very useful and helpful. ■ Many of our
teachers also have valuable academic links
with Heidelberg University. • The experience
was very valuable.
Practice exercises
Listen to speakers 1-6 describing th e ir adventures. Indicate which of the verbs a -g each
speaker uses by w ritin g a le tte r in the spaces below:
a
accompany
Speaker 1 .............
b
reschedule
Speaker 2 ......
c
venture
Speaker 3
d
encounter
Speaker L
e
overcome
Speaker Fi
f
seek
Speaker 6 ................
Exam tip: You can improve your m ark in the IELTS Speaking exam if you learn to
pronounce words correctly.
For m u lti-sylla b le words it is im portant to get the stress pattern right.
When you learn a new word, learn which syllable is pronounced most strongly.
Listen again to speakers 1-6 in Exercise 1. U nderline the stressed syllable of each key
verb a -f. Practise saying the w ords out loud.
Adventure